The present invention relates to a document circulating apparatus applicable to an electronic mail system.
Offices in general are equipped with various kinds of data processing apparatuses, e.g., copiers, printers, facsimile apparatuses and personal computers. The data processing apparatuses deal with circulation documents for the transfer or data, collected data, data to be sent to a different section, data to be stored, etc. However, notebook type personal computers are used in a stand-alone condition and, therefore, cannot be constructed into a network easily. Moreover, most of the documents generated by personal computers are sent in the form of hard copies, so that it is troublesome to, for example, set the environment for direct transmission. Facsimile apparatuses have a problem that users have to walk up to them, and a problem that users are apt to overlook received documents meant for them.
Further, data dealt with in offices flood on desks and are often lost or cannot be distinguished with ease. Since a substantial period of time is necessary for the data to be circulated, it is impossible to read necessary data when such data are required. Persons in offices each copies desired data, increasing the number of papers. Whether or not data are transferred to a person who needs them cannot be determined. It is difficult to assign security to a particular member or to set up a priority order. As the number of times of meeting increases data representing a place, time and so forth get confused. In addition, telephones often force persons to get neighbors and leave messages in an awkward procedure.